Growth of institutional pension assets in 2005 in the 11 major markets, measured in local currencies, was around 17 per cent (up from seven per cent in 2004) according to Watson Wyatt and assets now total US$16.4 trillion. During the year, pension fund liabilities also increased by approximately nine per cent on average in local currency terms, leading to an improvement in national funding positions of around eight per cent, compared with falls of around 30 per cent between 1999 and 2002. The research shows that despite three consecutive years of balance sheet strengthening, the estimated asset / liability position globally is still nineteen per cent weaker than in January 2000.
Watson Wyatt, Press Releases